


The Days After, Part Two

by chrissy2



Category: South Park
Genre: Coming of Age Angst - Freeform, F/M, M/M, Sexual/Romantic Confusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-02 18:01:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5258345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrissy2/pseuds/chrissy2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>THE AD CONSPIRACY.</p>
<p>[Tweek's POV.] Something very, very strange is coming to South Park. Tweek can feel it. His very relationship with Craig is under a lot of speculation. Their entire world is changing. A lot of the changes have been good, but with all these changes eventually comes a conflict of some sort. </p>
<p>[The continuation of THE DAYS AFTER.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Policy

It wasn't until Tweek woke up the next morning that he realized he forgot to message Craig. Craig asked him to as soon as he got home and he felt horrible about it, almost to the point of angst. He nearly panicked again, like he did last night. (Oh, geez! Last night. What was he thinking? Why did he stop him? Why did he always have to ruin everything?) Tweek reaches over for his phone and texts him immediately. 

TWEEK: 'good morning :)'

When Craig does not respond, Tweek can feel his anxiety start to bubble up. It took Mr. Reality to calm him down. It was so odd to meet him that morning. Normally, he came to him at night. 

"Don't think about it so much," he advised. (It was strange that he came while he was brushing his teeth. Oh, you bathroom thoughts. Well, better that than toilet or shower thoughts.) "If you obsess over nothing but that, then you will go back to your old, fearful self again. Do you want that? No, you don't. Even if Craig is mad at you--so fucking what? His mood should not control yours. If he is mad, let him be a big baby about it. He'll get over himself. Or he won't. Whatever."

Mr. Reality. That was his name. Huh. It felt a little weird now that he was named. (He was not so much a "mister", but Tweek could not help but refer to him as such. It must have been his fashion sense. It added to the--"mistery". Hehe. Another pun.)

It was a quiet bus ride and a quiet walk into the school. Even Cartman was unusually quiet, passing him without a single "girlfriend" pun or even one anti-Semitic pun at Kyle. Leslie passes him on her way to her locker and gives him a friendly wave and 'Hello, Tweek'. Tweek greets her back. (She had been doing that for the past few days now. He had never really known her, never really talked to her, so this was a little weird. But she could have just been trying to be more friendly. That's always a good thing to exercise.) Tweek walks up to his locker, struggles with the twist and goes through his things until he can feel Craig's stare burning on him. 

He turns around to face the blue boy. "Hey," he smiles, trying to not ruin their morning together before classes. 

"You didn't message me last night."

"I know. I'm so sorry. I fell right to sleep as soon as I got home." There was the exhausting panic attack, then the exhausting lecture once he arrived home at a rather late hour. 

Craig must have sensed he was making him uncomfortable, so he apologizes back. "No, I'm sorry."

There is a pause. Then at the same time, both of them try to say something, then stop themselves. (--I didn't--I was--) Both try speaking again, only to interrupt each other a second time. (--I just--)

Finally, Craig stops and lets Tweek have a go: (He imagines Cartman saying, 'Remember: Ladies and me first.') "--I don't know what came over me." 

"Did I freak you out?"

Tweek answers honestly. "A little."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know. I just-I was so confused at the time and didn't know how to react. You know me. I panic easy. I'm worrisome. It's just me and my own mind more than anything." When Craig does not respond, he continues. "But it's alright. Really."

Tweek smiles at him, and Craig smiles back. The whole incident is over with and they talk like they normally do. All is peaceful again until moments later, when Tweek noticed Craig tilting his head, reacting to something he had heard. Then Tweek hears it too. A couple of halls down, PC Principal was hollering at the top of his lungs: "--WHO WAS IT? SOMEBODY'S ABOUT TO GET THEIR ASSES KICKED!--" (An entire crowd of kids run down the halls in fright, shrieking and screaming. God, what the hell was going on!) "--WHEN I FIND OUT WHO DID THIS--"

A braced Butters turns from the crowd, running down their section. He runs quickly but carefully passed them all with a warning before retreating to his first class: "PC Principal's on the war path! Run for your life!"

Not too far away, around the next set of lockers over, Kyle and Stan exchange looks and take the words right out of their mouths.

("Again?")

("Oh, Jesus. Now what?")

"WHO WAS IT, HUH?" PC Principal turns into their section. (Oh, shit!) "SOMEBODY BETTER FESS UP RIGHT NOW! I'M GONNA FIND OUT WHO DID THIS!" (PC stops not but a few feet in front of them and the two boys are unable to move. The kids around them do not move either. Tweek was more too scared to move. Craig probably just stayed because he found the sight interesting and wanted to see where it was going.) PC addresses Kyle with an incorrect usage of his last name. "--Was it you?" 

Kyle turns to face the angry principal, a well-hidden roll of his eyes. "Was what me, sir?"

"I just saw a copy of the school newspaper in which a STUDENT--" (A flinch.) "--used the world 'RETARDED'--" (Another flinch.) "--to refer to our cafeteria lunch policy!" He then turns in their direction to continue with his bellowing. "THE WORD 'RETARDED' DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR SCHOOL! WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER? 'CAUSE I'M ABOUT TO BREAK THEIR FUCKING LEGS!"

The threat was horribly ironic. He was lucky that Jimmy wasn't as sensitive as he was.


	2. Leslie's Goodbye

There was a break sometime after midday, and in this break, Tweek passed three people in the hallways over to his next class. This class was on the opposite end of the building, the longest trip of the day. Token had recovered enough to start going back to school again, and Tweek was so glad for that. He passes Tweek along the way, a 'hey, dude' and casual wave of his wrapped shoulder and arm. Later, Nathan passed by, proudly expressing his love of smelling trees to him. In response to this, Tweek just smiled and nodded and said, "That's cool."

And then finally, there came Leslie, his longest encounter. Tweek knew that as soon as the PC Principal came running and hollering down the halls, shit was about to go down. Things just could not remain peaceful here in South Park. Jimmy was handicapped--as he preferred to be described--but the guy was no pushover. He did not care who you were. If you opposed him on something, he would not submit to you that easily, not even if you were someone like the PC. If shit was about to go down, the PC and Jimmy would play major parts in it for sure--whatever it was that was coming. Little did Tweek know that he became exposed to the upcoming conflict at such an early time. And he became exposed to it in this very encounter with Leslie in the hall. 

She approaches him from the opposite direction. She smiles and says, "Hello, Tweek."

"Hello, Leslie," he says back, automatically. 

He thought she would continue on, but she didn't. She suddenly stopped, continued to look at him and Tweek did not continue out of decency. "How are you?" she then asks. (This caught Tweek off guard. She never actually stopped to talk to him. Why was she suddenly so interested?) "Are you well?"

He nods, shifting the books in his hands uncomfortably. "I am. You?"

"Satisfactory."

"Oh? Just satisfactory?"

"Yes." Leslie's speaks very flatly. A bit like how Craig spoke, but this was a different kind of monotone. In fact, in all honesty, Tweek found it--unsettling. Creepy, even. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Leslie smiled a lot and loved to socialize, but right now, she was not acting herself--if that was even her true self. Right now, she was not smiling like a few seconds before. She was just staring at him blankly. She became almost devoid of all emotion.

"I'm sorry you--"

"--Are you happy, Tweek?" she then suddenly asks. "Really happy?"

For a moment, Tweek is at a loss for words. What an odd question. "Uh, yeah. I'm alright."

"Don't you feel like you could be happier?"

"I mean, I guess I could be. Anyone could always be happier."

"How?"

"Uh, many ways." He throws out a few random things he had in mind: New friends. Trying out new things. Visiting new places. Being thankful for what you have. But he felt like this did not really answer her question.

There is an uncomfortable pause, then she continues with the strange questions: "Do you like Craig?"

Tweek just looks at her, then nods. "I do."

"Does he like you back?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe. Maybe not. We're really just trying this whole thing out to see where it goes."

"I see." Her eyes fall down to her feet and Tweek can almost see a bit of sadness. "I'm so sorry it had to come to this. I'm sorry to put you guys in the middle. I just wanted to say that."

His eyebrows knot in confusion. "What do you mean, Leslie? What are you sorry for?"

Her eyes rise back up and she is staring at him blankly again. "I think I am going to disappear for a while."

"What? Where would you disappear to?"

"I cannot say. Tweek, have you ever felt like you were being...watched? Or stalked?"

Oh, most definitely. You're talking to the kid who regularly has had panic attacks since he was very young, some of it attributed to the excessive amounts of coffee given to him by his idiot parents. (But hey, he was the one that decided to drink them.) A lot of the conspiracies throughout the years were just in his head, though. "Yes. I have, actually."

"If you feel like you are under surveillance and cannot run to the law for help, what do you do?"

Goddamn, what a question. Tweek had no idea how to answer that. But thankfully, he did not have to. The bell rings, bringing their most scary conversation to an end. "Hey, sorry, Leslie," Tweek says, adjusting the books in his hands again. "I have to go. See you later."

Her usual smile comes back as if their conversation never happened. "Good bye, Tweek."


	3. Wendy's Ad Conspiracy.

Once in his computer class and out of the teacher's sight, Tweek pulled out his phone and messaged Wendy.

TWEEK: 'hey wendy'

WENDY: 'hello, tweek :) what's up?'

TWEEK: 'have you been feeling weird lately?'

WENDY: '?'

WENDY: 'like what kind of weird?'

TWEEK: 'like theres something weird going on in south park?'

WENDY: 'when ISNT there something going on in south park lol'

WENDY: 'eh not really. in all honesty, I think this town is at its best at this very moment. we are opening up to all kinds of news things'

WENDY: 'that's what I think anyway. what are you thinking?'

Tweek is unable to answer. The class is assigned a project and he pairs himself with Clyde. It is not until near the end of the hour that Tweek glances at his phone again. Wendy had sent him one last message, and it was a bit unsettling. A lot like the devoid Leslie.

WENDY: 'tweek, meet me at recess'

That was all she said. The request is so direct and bold. It makes a pulsing knot in his stomach that lasts until the kids are finally released for recess. Tweek found a smiling, waving Wendy sitting on a bench, waiting for his arrival. He waves back and jogs across the playground, joining her.

"Hey," he says, sitting by her side. "What's up?"

Wendy leans in and lowers her voice. "I had to meet with you like this. You never know who is watching or listening through your phone nowadays."

(Hm?) "What? What's going on?"

"Something weird IS happening in South Park," she confesses. "And Leslie may play a big part in it."

"Leslie?"

"Yeah. You know, the girl that's always being singled out during assemblies? I don't remember ever seeing her here in South Park until recently. And ever since she has been here, there have been many changes. In fact: I think she's the one who started the rumor."

"What rumor?"

(At that moment, both Craig and Stan waved to them from over at the basketball court, mouthing to them if they wanted to join them and the rest of the guys. 'Wanna play?' In response to this, Tweek and Wendy smile and politely decline. 'No, thanks. You go ahead.')

"I think she's the one that started the rumor about you and Craig," she continues. "And that prompted the Asian girls to include you guys into their yaoi art, ultimately putting you guys together."

"Why would she do that?" he then says, eyebrows knotting together. "Why go through all that trouble?"

There is a pause, then Wendy asks him, "Tweek, have you ever heard of--the Ads?"

(Wait, THE Ads?) "The Ads?"

"Yeah."

"Like, the Ads you see on billboards? Or the Ads you see on the internet?"

"Yes," Wendy nods. "Well, it is said that the Ads have somehow evolved into a human-like species. We ALL may actually have a tiny portion of them in our DNA."

(Wow. This was unlike anything Tweek ever conspired in HIS own crazy mind.) "You mean..." he starts. "Like they are becoming people?"

"That, or they have been among us for many years."

This somehow made Tweek very afraid. "Shit."

"We're not sure how this is even possible. It's still under a lot of speculation. It may not even true at all. But if they are apart of us somehow, we don't know if it happened naturally or if the government combined their DNA with ours."

At first, Tweek was not sure how Ads could have been evolved naturally. But then again, the Ads had been here since man started trading and selling amongst each other. "Oh, geez."

"And--I think Leslie IS one of them."

 **["...Tweek, don't you feel like you could be happier...?"]**  

"But what does that have to do with me and Craig?"

There is a pause and a bit of painful sadness in her eyes, like she was about to say something forbidden. "Your relationship has attracted lots of attention. Many girls around the world love the idea of two boys being in a relationship. And it is because of this that many boy bands and the most mainstream youtube channels often use this tactic to get views. It is a powerful weapon used for publicity."

Tweek stands up, outrage clear on his face. He cannot believe what he is hearing. "Are you saying...?"

**["...Do you like Craig? Does he like you back...?"]**

He can barely comprehend Wendy's apology through his racing thoughts. "I'm so sorry, Tweek. PC Principal may be in on this as well, whether he knows it or not. He himself may also be an Ad, like Leslie."

**["...I'm sorry to put you guys in the middle of all this..."]**

Tweek sits back down and runs a set of fingers through his hair. He felt betrayed somehow. "We're being used? And--what makes you think the PC has anything to do with it?"

"Well, he was the one that started PAYING you to be with Craig."

**["...There's not gonna be any disciplinary action since they are gay and we want to be supportive. So we're just gonna send them home with some money, alright...?"]**

(Oh, god. OH, GOD. It was true.) "They're USING US for a fucking AD?"

Wendy has to shush him. "Ssh, keep your voice down. Don't think of it that way, Tweek. You really do love him, don't you?"

"I do."

**["...I don't want anyone else. You changed something in me..."]**

"We'll fix this, Tweek," she then encourages, taking both of his hands in hers. "The kids in this school have overcome so much, and we will overcome this. Everything will be alright."

The intensity and cool air brought small tears to his eyes. He still couldn't believe it. "I hope so."

 


	4. Jimmy's Challenge

After the revelation, Tweek found himself yet again struggling to normalize his life. He would wake up to greet Craig with a small, heartfelt message and prepare for school, like he always did. The paper would come later, often hitting one of his parents in the head. The first time it happened, they all thought it was someone knocking. (It eventually got the point where kids like Clyde and Cartman would yell at Jimmy to toss it to their bedroom windows like a football.) But it was strange seeing a newspaper again. No one had read the newspaper since the internet hit South Park. And once all the kids had their own cell phones, traditional news nearly died out entirely.

Once at school, he would meet up and have a good laugh with Craig before classes. Craig would hold his hand, escort him to his first and kiss him goodbye. Then in between classes, Tweek would exchange hand written notes with Wendy about the whole Ad conspiracy. It was safer that way. (Not only that, it felt just like old times. He couldn't remember the last time he had passed notes with somebody, having the fear of the teacher finding it and reading it to the whole class. But he didn't have to worry about that. All the teachers assumed note passing had died out and were now more concerned with kids sneaking to look at their phones.)

In response to the usage of the word 'retarded' in the Super School Newspaper, the PC Principal asked--or more like pleaded--with Jimmy to not use the word anymore, as he found it offensive and hurtful. (It was almost like their very principal was intimidated by those with disabilities, somehow.) Jimmy agreed to not use the word in school, which caught all the kids by surprise, considering how stubborn he could be. At first, they all took this as a rumor, then once Jimmy confirmed it, it was an obvious lie. But then there were those, like Tweek himself, who had always trusted Jimmy to keep his word. At least his integrity was still in tact. And it wasn't long before they all learned his stubbornness was still in tact as well--the PC in particular learning this the hard way. Instead, Jimmy delivered the SS News himself, going by door by door each morning after--on his Thomas the Tank Engine bike no less. (Tweek's inner toddler would grow jealous every time he saw it. His parents never bought him one. He had crashed many bikes and electric-toy cars in the past, so they found it dangerous for him to be on such a thing.)

And if Tweek could recall, and if his sources were correct, Jimmy told the PC to 's-s-ss-ss-suck his dick'.

Oh, geez. Wow, Jimmy. He was either really brave or really stupid. (And not in the 'retarded' or 'disabled' kind of way. Like, 'average boy stupid'.) Tweek came down to thinking he was the second. Why couldn't he just let it go? Just grow up and take the word out. It was no big deal. And he was sure to trust his source, as his source was Wendy, who also found his reaction to the whole thing immature. As the student representative, she was automatically part of the SS News and had a lot of access to the information they were going to publish.

They would pass notes during the day and chat at recess. It was at the usual bench. And if it was occupied, then somewhere else that was secluded.

("--Should we tell Jimmy?")

("Not just yet. He'll use it against the PC for sure. I admire his integrity, but the student body is not ready to hear all this just yet--")

("--What did she say to you, exactly?")

("Uh, she just kept asking me all these weird questions.")

("Like what kind of questions?")

("Like, 'Don't you feel like you could be happier?' and many questions about me and Craig and how we were doing.")

("How like an Ad. I knew it. She WAS the one who started the rumor. She was probably set up to put you guys together.")

("Why?")

("Like I said: Lots of girls like gay relationships. It's forbidden and it stirs up a lot of controversy. She must have someone or an entire group of people operating her and telling what she should do. Ads almost never survive on their own. They need to serve a higher power. They're like their parasites. But whoever they are, they sure are clever.")

("Why our town?")

("We're a small, unassuming mountain town full of dumb, ignorant fucks. Easy to take over and easy to experiment with. By the time the adults figure everything out, it will already be too late.")

("Then we should tell the kids now.")

("You're right. But we have to start slowly. If we tell everyone all at once, there will be a panic. Some people can't handle this kind of information. And since we are dividing, we don't know who to trust--")

God, she was so freaking smart. Tweek agreed. He really was not looking forward to it, but he was going to have to tell Craig first. He was probably going to have to tell him that very day. He knew he had to, but he was so afraid. He was afraid of what Craig might do once he found out they were set up and being used. Would he break up with him? He couldn't stand the thought. Not at all. It made him gray and dry.

("--Tweek, what if I am an Ad too?")

("Wendy! Don't think that.")

("I was the one who showed that PowerPoint. What if I am and I don't know it?")

("That's not true. You didn't know what was going on. You just wanted to show something interesting and fun to everyone. You love doing that sort of thing--") 

Yeah, it was definitely going to have to be soon. Keeping this to themselves was driving them crazy.

 


	5. You're Lying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Okay, guys. I'm going to take a risk here and take on how the other kids find out. The upcoming episode of South Park may be very different to how this will go. But I'll try not to make it too different, so we can still follow the original show. Hope you enjoy!! Thanks for reading so far.]  
> ********************************

There is one final note written between the two before Craig and Stan find out something is up. In this note, Wendy tells Tweek of Jimmy's second trip to the PC's office. There, Jimmy met up with Nathan, who apparently expressed how much the word 'retarded' hurt his feelings and made him feel like a bad person. (What? Bullshit. BULL-fucking-SHIT. He had probably heard that kid use the word 'retarded' more than anyone else. He must have been joking. Tweek could see that. Nathan would definitely fake this just to fuck with Jimmy and the PC, just to watch all hell break loose over Jimmy continuing to take this new policy on.)

But that wasn't all Nathan did. Apparently, when Jimmy and Nathan got a moment to themselves, Nathan told him something quite disturbing. ("...Oh, Jim. So righteous. So blind to all that is going on. Do you really think all the changes that are happening in this town are all just coincidence? There's a war coming. A war, Jim. And I'm just gonna make sure that I'm on the right side of it...")

("--War? Oh, goddamn.")

("I know, Tweek. I know. It's much worse than we thought.")

("Nathan has got to be joking. Nathan's a big enough jerk to say that just to fuck with people.")

("I really hope he is. I really hope so--")

At that moment, they could see Stan and Craig approach the two of them on the bench. "I'll go first," Wendy insists. (Oh, god. Oh, shit. Tweek is going to puke.)

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE SICK.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE SICK.

He watches her stand up and walk over to Stan. He can make out pieces of their fight, some of it through hearing them and some of it through lip reading.

("--What is WRONG with you, Stan?")

("Why won't you tell me what's going on between you two?")

("It's not just you. This is being kept from the whole school. We're working--no one can see--until it is ready--")

("Why with him, though? Why him and not me?--He's not even part of the writing staff!")

("He's gay, Stan.")

("No, he's not. His whole relationship with Craig is fake and you know it.")

("Did Craig tell you that? Or are you just being a superficial asshole?")

("Well, no, but--")

("To Tweek, it is real. This is hurting him a lot--")

("And Craig? What about him?")

("THAT is THEIR business, Stan.")

("That you seem to know a little too much about.")

("Fuck you! Maybe he talks to me about it because I'm not some judgmental asshole like you--")  

Craig then steps forward and Tweek stands from the bench, meeting the blue boy halfway. They unite not too far away from Wendy and Stan, who they can still hear screaming at the top of their lungs. Tweek really didn't want to be the reason for their ruined relationship, and he did not want to ruin the one he had with Craig. Whatever it was, there was SOME connection worth fighting for. This secret was killing him. He had forced himself to smile and act like everything was fine, while still being completely aware that Craig was suspecting him, slowly smoldering and about to burst.

"So you wanna tell me what's going on?" the blue boys says, his arms crossed. He is standing apart from Tweek, avoiding all contact. This really hurt, but he understood why Craig was doing this.

"What do you mean?" It took everything to keep the fear from making his body tremble. (Calm down, heart. Calm down. You will not be sick.)

"What have you been doing for the passed few days? You have barely said a word to me."

"I'm so sorry. I've been working with Clyde on a project and helping Wendy with the school newspaper."

"You're not part of the writing staff." Tweek looks down to his feet and there is a pause. He had an idea on what to tell him once he realized he wasn't apart of the writing staff, but he just did not want to continue lying to him. The silence is broken when Craig looks at him with his sad eyes and asks him: "Tweek--do you not want to be with me anymore?"

"What--"

"--Is that what you want, huh?"

"No, Craig!" Tweek says, throwing his trembling his hands up. "I don't want to leave you. I love you." He did not plan on telling him like this. He was savoring those three words for a later time, but they just slipped out in this moment of desperation. They come out again. "I love you."

"So then what's up with the whole meeting up with Wendy 24/7? I know you guys have been passing notes. What's wrong? Are you afraid that if I look through your phone, I'll find something you don't want me to see?"

(Wait--what? Did Craig ACTUALLY think he was cheating on him with Wendy? Tweek would have busted out laughing if he wasn't afraid that that would anger the blue boy even more.) "No." Even so, he cannot help but smile a little. He could not believe he was jealous. "Would you like to see the notes?"

"Yes. All of them. I also know that you don't throw them away. You really must be talking about something very important."

Tweek nods in agreement. He's really trying to show that he has nothing to hide. Not anymore. "That's correct." He reaches down into his cluttered backpack and gathers up all the folded up notebook paper. "Hold on. I have to make sure they are in order. If they're not, you will get really confused..."

Tweek finds the first few notes and hands them over to Craig for him to read. He would show him the rest after school.


	6. The Notes

After school, they walked to Tweek's house. A bit a ways hand in hand, the rest not. It made Tweek wonder what the blue boy was proposing, if there was one to begin with. Once at the Tweek residence, they decline coffee and make their way up to his bedroom. They sit on his bed and Tweek dumps out the rest of the notes for him to read. Craig had to watch him dump out his entire bag and he would not allow Tweek to "put them in order". It was the only way he could trust him. Considering all that had happened and that ugly scene between the four of them at recess, Tweek did not blame him. As he sat at the foot of his bed, reading one randomly-picked note after the other, Tweek waited quietly. He had first intended to wander the house to give Craig some privacy, but Craig wouldn't let him leave the room, not while he was texting Wendy. So he sat over at his desk instead, messaging Wendy from there.

TWEEK: 'hey, are you guys doing ok?'

WENDY: 'stan's still kinda pissed but he'll get over it lol'

TWEEK: 'im so sorry about all that'

WENDY: 'it's ok. it wasn't your fault, tweek'

WENDY: 'are you and craig doing ok?'

WENDY: 'he's still not being a big jerk to you, is he?'

TWEEK: 'eh. he's still kinda pissed and suspicious, but I don't blame him'

WENDY: 'it's weird. normally he's not like that. usually he's laid back'

TWEEK: 'yeah, usually'

After Craig had finished reading the disordered notes, Tweek let him look through his messages with Wendy. (--What?--Nothing, I just never thought you were the jealous type--) Tweek didn't care. Afterward, they both sat back down on his bed, Tweek sitting at the head and Craig back down at the foot, a great deal of distance between the two. Craig sighs and buries his face in his hands: "What the hell."

"Yeah. I know."

"Are you guys serious?"

"Yeah."

"So, um, definitely did not think you were talking about--whatever this is."

"What did you THINK we were talking about?" (Tweek knew exactly what he thought. He just thought he'd try and make fun of the whole thing by giving Craig a hard time, but that probably wasn't a good idea.)

Craig rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Oh, come on, man--"

"--Right, right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or anything. I was just texting Wendy one day and she decided to meet up and tell me her idea since I seemed to also be catching on. It was nothing against you or anyone else. We just needed to know for sure and then tell everyone when we were ready. Because who knows: It may not have been true. And if it was, what if we got the wrong information? And then fed that false information to everyone else?"

Craig does not say anything for a while, but Tweek has a feeling that a part of him agrees with what he is saying.

Then the blue boy finally says, "So--we've been set up?"

"It looks that way." When Craig goes quiet again, Tweek adds: "Hehe, a few years ago, we were tricked into fighting each other and now we were tricked into dating each other. Funny, huh?" Another attempt at making fun. It seems to work a little this time, getting a small smirk from the blue boy. Then Tweek proposes what was probably lingering at the back of both of their minds: "I would understand if you wanted to end it now."

Tweek was surprised at how calm and collected he was and how smoothly it was proposed.

Craig was just as surprised when he heard it. "I don't know."

"I know you hate being something you're not. And with this--it feels like we are as fake as we can possibly get. Don't stick around just to keep me happy or whatever."

"Tweek, I know how you feel about me. And I know it is something big. You care about me and you worry about me. Your actions show that..."

"But you don't feel the same."

"It's not that. I care about you too. I don't want to see you hurt. I enjoy your company..."

"But?"

"I don't know."

At Craig's uncertainty, Tweek suggests it again. "Maybe we should--" (He really didn't want to say 'break up'.) "--you know, keep to ourselves for a bit."

"Again?"

"Yeah," Tweek half smiles. "Again." (He couldn't resist.)

It had to be one of the most amicable break ups ever. It was almost anticlimactic. Scratch that. It was anticlimactic.

Craig looks away and runs a set of fingers through his hair. "I just don't know how to feel about this whole--image thing."

"I don't really know either," Tweek agrees. "Like I said, let's just--break it off--and clear our heads. Okay?"

Craig finds it in himself to look Tweek directly in the eyes again. "Is that the REAL reason you were afraid to tell me? You were afraid I would leave you?"

Tweek is unable to respond. He can't even give a little white lie. He just stares back at Craig, sadly. When he is able to find the strength to speak again, he says, "I'm fine with whatever you choose."

"Are you really?"

"Yes."

"We're still friends, right?"

"Of course."

It was an awkward leave. No hugs. No contact at all. Just a couple of waves, smiles and an escort out.


	7. Draw The Line

(The song had been playing in his head over and over. It was then he understood its meaning. The lyrics seemed to match up with all the things that were happening at the time.)

The weekend after their second and very discreet break up was a rather boring one. Nothing too interesting happened. Mr. Reality wasn't even there to follow him around to pester him and distract him. One day, Tweek found himself wandering around the whole foods/mall area, doing nothing in particular. Looking at things through the display glass and judging them, wondering if anything was worth buying--while also thinking about Craig, of course. But he wasn't hurting, although he knew he would eventually. Right now, he was in limbo. He wasn't trembling. He wasn't anxious. And he wasn't gray and dry with the constant urge to lay in bed and sleep.

He was just--bored.

(... _On your palm an endless wonder_

_Lines that speak the truth without a sound_

_In your eyes awaits the tireless hunger_

_Already looks for prey to run down...)_

As he walked around aimlessly, thinking of Craig, he felt more lost in a familiar place than anything. It wasn't really bad. He could feel the sadness, but learned to make peace with it. Sadness stood there and joined him wherever but he did not feel it. It was like Sadness was a separate body, like a Mr. Reality.

_(...The dance of flames and shadows in the street_

_Make poetry nobody's ever heard_

_The weight of loneliness stands on your feet_

_The cage already there around the bird...)_

**[...As they all waited for "Marjorine" to complete "her" mission, Tweek watched Craig directly in front of him. He was trying to peek through the pair of binoculars he was using to spy on the house...]**

_(...So why do we keep up this charade?_

_And how do we tell apart the time to leave from the time to wait...?)_

**[...The first list the boys had stolen from the girls was apparently a forgery. Bummer. They all got their hopes up. Well, maybe if the boys weren't so open about trying to steal it, the girls wouldn't have made a fake list just to fuck with them. Average boy stupid. (Stan and Kyle said that they chose to burn the real list. It was understandable. The list had changed the boys and even turned them all against each other, but still, Tweek would have loved to look and see where he was on the real thing. But let's be honest, he was probably near the bottom. And then it would have been him sitting with the ugly kids and trying to burn down the school.**

**But he remembered finding himself a few numbers above Craig and feeling like a hottie. Hehe.**

**1\. Clyde**

**2\. Token**

**3\. Stan**

**4\. Bradley**

**5\. Jason**

**6\. Leroy**

**7\. Kenny**

**8\. Tweek**

**9\. Kevin**

**10\. Jimmy**

**11\. Butters**

**12\. Craig...]**

Craig had asked to remain friends and he had pretty much always been his friend--but then again, not really. Following groups of boys that had hardly said a word to him did not really count. He was never really part of anything. The only time he ever felt like being someone's friend was serving as a Kenny's replacement for Stan's group after his strange, strange disappearance. (The whole memory felt like a weird dream. He knew it had happened but no matter who Tweek asked, no one seemed to know what had happened to Kenny and where he went. In fact, it seemed like they did not remember Kenny ever being gone. Kind of like Butters' little disappearance. And funny, Kenny went with him for that too, disappearing a second time.)

_(...So why don't we join the masquerade_

_Before it all falls apart, before our love becomes insatiate?_

_What does tomorrow want from me?_

_What does it matter what I see?_

_If I can't choose my own design_

_Tell me where do we draw the line...?)_

After the weekend came the Thanksgiving break, where Tweek and his parents drove a stupid-long drive all the way down to California to celebrate the holiday with family members that they absolutely hated. (Come on, no one really like reunions.) Although Mr. Tucker spent a lot of his time pointlessly ranting about the ridiculous gun laws of this "democratic, socialist, commie libtard state", the gathering was fun. Tweek hadn't seen his cousins in so long. Suddenly, Tweek did not feel so friendless. If only they could live in Colorado with him. 


	8. Another Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry all these chapters are so short.

When the Tweeks return from their holiday over in California, Mr. Reality started visiting Tweek's bedroom at night again. He was a bit annoyed, as he almost always arrived when he was barely awake and cranky, but at the same time--he was glad. The phantom was found at his usual place with his preferred position--sitting over at Tweek's desk, his fingers laced and feet crossed.

"Well," Tweek says, rubbing his eyes. "Look who finally decided to show up."

"I only come when I am needed," the man assured.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. You actually seemed pretty content on your own for a while there."

The blonde gives a weak smile and a shrug. "I've been trying."

"You handled that break up very well."

The term still made him cringe. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

"One day, you won't need me in anymore."

"That's kinda sad," Tweek confesses.

"Eh, I'll always be around."

"Yeah. It's still a sad thought. I think you're my only friend, really."

Mr. Reality's usual smirk drops. "That's not true. You have many."

"I know I do, but..."

"You just don't feel that way. You have many friends and yet you still feel alone. Your parents love you very much, but they don't understand you. Sometimes you wonder in despite of all the sweet things they say to you, you wonder if they have ever been proud of you. Same thing with all the kids in your school. They talk to you. They smile at you, but they don't know you. And Craig, well--"

"--Yeah." Tweek sighs and rubs his head at the confusion. 

"You guys haven't really spoken since, have you?"

"Not after we broke it off, no."

"That's normal."

"Is love always this--stupid?"

Reality snickers. "Yeah. Pretty much. Love. Attraction. Arousal. The primal instinct. It's the drive of the entire world, all too powerful for your tiny bodies. It is for reproduction and used to help us want to continue living when our tiny, pathetic bodies are depressed." When Tweek does not respond, he continues. "But that doesn't make you a loser if you DON'T want or end up with all that corny, romantic crap. There's more to life."

"Right, right."

"I'm glad you didn't get too intimate with him."

"Oh?"

"I told you--the heartbreak would have been greater. You're handling it well now because you held back. But you can't avoid it forever."

Tweek is not sure how to respond, but luckily he does not have to. His nightstand is suddenly shined by the glow of his phone. He groans and reaches over to grab it. It's a message from Wendy.

WENDY: 'tweek! oh my gosh, I finally came back from the family reunion. we should hang out :)'

(Tweek can feel his stomach drop. He can read the urgency in between the lines. Something is up.)

TWEEK: 'ok :) meet me at my house?'

WENDY: 'sounds good to me! heading over now'

TWEEK: 'cool'

(Mr. Reality can sense the message through Tweek. "She wants to meet up NOW? At this hour?") The phantom fades away as Tweek slips on a sweater, shoes and leaves his room behind. The living room and kitchen are quiet and dark. His parents had probably gone to bed to prepare for their hours in the morning. He takes the spare key from the key bowl and exits the house quietly. He wanders up and down the street by his house for a while. He begins to wonder if Wendy is able to make it, but then he sees her shadow over by the corner and waves. She waves back and the two run to meet up.

"Hey," Tweek says, his short, hot pants seen flying through the air. "What's up?"

Wendy is panting harder than he is, like she had just run for her life. "No one has heard from Jimmy at all--Or Leslie!--Jimmy's parents won't answer any of our--questions--and no one can find Leslie's parents--They tried looking for Officer Brady to help look for them--but he's missing too!"


	9. Another Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You notice I threw in "pre-teen". In this story, I wanted to bump their ages up to 13-14.

Wendy stayed over at Tweek's house for a bit before going back home in time for her parent's wake, just in time to prepare for school. As you can imagine, both of them were very tired the next day. Tweek's insomnia had not really changed since he was very young. But the mornings of his childhood were "sleepy". His mornings now were "drained and delirious". A big, big difference. And when he did sleep, it never seemed to be the right proportions at the right times. The occasional pre-teen depression made him sleep a lot during the day, leading to his restless nights. Tweek was so delirious the next day that when he saw Jimmy's 'PUSSY CRUSHER' headline over on the kitchen counter, he couldn't help but snicker. He still found Jimmy's reaction to the whole thing immature and 'retarded', but he was too tired to really feel annoyed. It was kind of nice. Not being able to get angry.

Once on the bus, Tweek started making lists and just did that all the way down to the school. It was oddly addicting. No wonder the girls liked them so much. (While over at his house last night, making and talking about lists seemed to be the only thing that calmed the nervous Wendy down. This whole Ad thing was getting to them both. Tweek had never seen her in such a way! He felt for her, so he just let her go along with her listing. Now she got him doing it. It was actually a very thought-provoking and fun thing to do.)

Then once at school, all went as expected. He went to his locker, gathered all he needed and sat in his first class to quickly finished any homework he had missed over the break. 

Halfway through, a commotion of some sort could be heard from out the cracked door. Tweek acknowledged it but did not care to look out to see what was going on. He didn't give the noises any mind until Bebe--whom Tweek later learned was sent by Wendy--sprinted to their door and called for him: "Tweek? Is he is here? Tweek! We need your help."

Tweek looks up from his papers, confused. Why would anyone need his help? "For what?"

"You don't here that?" she says, pointing out into the hall. "Craig's getting in a fight with Stan!"

(What the fuck? Why would he do that?) "Who started it?"

"Craig did!"

"What? WHY?"

She just shrugs and shakes her head, almost to the point of frustration from the confusion. "I don't know. Come on! He's YOUR boyfriend--" (--Oh yeah, that's right. They agreed not to tell anyone. It was better that way. And it was no one's business anyway--) "--Stop him!"

Tweek stands from his desk and joins Bebe out into the hall. She directs him a couple of halls down, the noises growing louder. Then there is a crowd of kids and in the middle of the ring--Craig and Stan rolling around along the tiles, fighting like hell. (What the fuck was going on!) They were going fucking crazy. It was an intense, fast-moving fight, fueled by their sensitivity and anger. Both of them were pretty temperamental, especially Stan. 

Tweek just stands there in absolute awe, trying to piece together the cause of the fight in his scrambled thoughts. Then Wendy and Kyle's cries for help cut through to him, pulling him to reality. (--Tweek! Do something!--Stop him!--)

Out of pressure and on instinct, he just jumps into the ring without a plan. Craig had Stan pinned down to the floor in between his thighs at the point. So Tweek comes up from behind, sliding his arms beneath his armpits and pulling him off of Stan. 

"Hey!" Craig yells, swinging his arms and trying to wiggle out of his hold. "Let me go! Let me at em'!"

While Tweek holds him off, Wendy and Kyle rush in to help Stan to his feet. Craig then shoves his elbow back, right into Tweek's gut. (--GAH!!--) Tweek screams and lets the blue boy go. It is apparent that Craig had not known it was him since he turned around and planned on punching him, only for him to stop his swing midway and stare at him in shock. 

All is quiet for a moment. At least, that is how it was for Tweek and the blue boy. Either everyone went quiet or the two were having a moment between themselves--a quiet, heart-wrenching stare into each other's eyes, as if to say: 'Why is this happening? What have we become?'

They stare at each other in this way--until Stan jumps at Craig from behind, seeking revenge in his boyish stupor and sensitivity. A wincing Tweek, Wendy and Kyle spend another minute trying to break the fight up again before Mr. Mackey arrives.


	10. Telling Kyle

It was an intense escort all the way down to the nurse's office, to everyone's surprise. Kyle and Tweek were both afraid that the boys would start spontaneously fighting for no apparent reason again, but they just brooded and grumbled all the way down. They continued to brood like smoldering volcanos as the nurse bandaged them up, one injury at a time. In the mean time, Tweek and Kyle exchanged small talk to hopefully fill in the silence and tension.

Tweek was sure that they would all be sent to the PC right away, regardless of the bruises. It was like that when Tweek and Craig got into that strange fight, when they were head to toe in bruises. (Then he suddenly remembered what Wendy had told him. He remembered that the PC was gone too. Holy shit.) And now that Tweek thought about it, something else was off. He tried looking at South Park, the big picture--but he could not quite put his finger on what it was that felt strange about today. It wasn't the absence of Mr. Reality. It wasn't the unusual fight. And it wasn't Jimmy and Leslie being missing from the picture. There was something beyond all three of those abnormalities, something much stranger--but what?

Then Kyle suddenly lowers his voice and addresses Tweek, cutting through his thoughts:

(--Hey, Tweek?)

(Oh, uh, what's up?)

Kyle looks over his shoulder and checks on the brooding boys slouched over in chairs across the room. Both are distracting themselves with things on their phones. And if they were pulling out their phones, that meant the nurse was probably out to notify the PC--or in this case, Mr. Mackey--the details of their fight and injuries. When he is sure they are not looking, Kyle turns back to Tweek. (Do you feel like there's something--weird going on?)

(Well, uh, yeah.)

(What's going on, man? Do you know anything? And why aren't you sitting next to each other? Is there something going on with you guys?)

Tweek's eyes wander down to his feet and stay there as he ponders what to say next.

This seems to make Kyle on edge. (Tweek? Do-do you know something about this?)

Tweek decides to tell Kyle. If his best friend all of a sudden had gotten involved into all this Ad nonsense, he had to know. (It may or may not have led to the fight, but...)

Kyle listens to him intently and takes it all in. And when the explaining is over with, Kyle, who had always been and always will be the skeptic, denies it. (Dude, that's crazy. Things don't work like that.)

(It's true, man.)

(It is impossible for Ads to become people. They are too different to mix. And Ads haven't even been around that long--have they?)

(Ads have been here for many centuries. They have taken many forms--and now they are actually walking among us.)

(How do we know for sure?)

There is a pause again, then Tweek confesses: (Craig and I may been set up by them. By the REAL Ads, anyway. We serve as a--prototype, I guess you could say.)

(What do you mean?)

(It was Leslie that started the rumor of me and Craig being gay. This made the Asian girls start drawing those pictures, and in the end, it brought us together. Even if we didn't like each other, it probably would have ended that way, anyways. They wanted it to happen.)

(Who is THEY?)

(The government. The "Man". The ones in control.)

(I still don't get it. Why would the higher ups want to force you guys into a gay relationship? Aern't the Republicans in power? They stand against gay relations.) 

(This isn't the Republicans. This is what is trying to trump them--and replace them with a higher power--something just as corrupt. Gay relations attract a lot of attention, Kyle. It riles people up. It scares people. And yet it also keeps the idealists in a blind trance. And with something like that--you can control a large group of people, maybe even a whole country--or the world.)

Kyle just stares at him dumbly. Even Tweek had to admit that the way he described that came out as a little melodramatic, but it was all true.

(Does Craig know all this?)

(Yes. Me, him and Wendy were the only ones that knew. Jimmy probably knew about all this as well. That may be why he disappeared. But don't worry. As long as you lay low, you aren't in any real danger. Jimmy is outspoken and stupid, which is what got him into this mess.)   

Kyle looks down a bit, thinking a moment. (Did Leslie know what she was doing when she started that rumor?)

(Yes.)

(What? But-but that means--)

(--Yes. It means she's working for them, whoever it is that is in power.)

(No.)

(Yes. We think Leslie is more than just a little spokesperson. We think she is one of those walking Ads I told you about.)

(Holy shit. What.) Kyle brings his hands to his face.

(Yeah, I know. The world has lost it.)

(But if you and Craig know all this, why are you two still together?)

(We're actually not. But don't tell anyone. Please. We don't want to stir the town up again.)

(That is ridiculous. You should NOT have to pretend to be something you're not just to keep everyone happy. That means that THEY will win.)

(It wasn't pretending to me.)

Kyle goes quiet at this, shocked and at the same time, sad.

(I--I love Craig. I still love him. But this was too much for him, so I broke it off. At first, I didn't want to tell him. I wanted him to stay with me--but I knew it wouldn't have lasted anyway. And you shouldn't lie to the ones you love.)

Kyle reaches out and lays a hand on his shoulder. (I'm so sorry.)

Tweek gives a half smile. (It's okay. I'm sorry Stan got into all this.)

(But why him? What did Stan do?)

(He didn't do anything. I'm pretty certain that he didn't do anything, anyway. Craig was probably just--frustrated. And took it out on Stan. I don't know. I'll talk to him later.)


	11. Secret Meetings

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Craig asks from across the room. "A few minutes ago, you were chatting away. Now you're pretty quiet."  


Kyle and Tweek just stare back at him, neither of them sure what to say now. Kyle turns to Tweek for help. "Uh, we were just talking about--" He does not want to accidentally say the wrong thing.  


"--I told him," Tweek then simply says. There was no masking it, and Tweek had already seen how Craig could get when he learned that he had been lied to.  


Craig's eyebrows rise at this. "You told him?"  


"Yeah."  


Meanwhile, the confused Stan turns his head back and forth--to Craig and then to the pair. ("Wait, what? Who told what? Kyle?")  


"They'll be okay," Tweek assures.  


Craig sighs and stands from his chair, stretching his arms and legs. "Yeah, I guess." Kyle and Stan still don't get what he is implying, so he just tells them. "Could you guys wait outside? I want to talk to Tweek. Alone."  


"What?" Stan then says, his hands swatting out. "Why do WE have to go outside?" (Oh, geez. Not another fight. Please. You think he'd be too tired to fight by now.)  


Before Craig can flip him off and say something foolish, sparking yet another fight, Kyle stands up too. "Yeah. Come on, Stan. I need to tell you something. This is big."  


("Ugh. Fine.") Tweek tells them to be careful and to not talk too loudly as they make their way out the door. When they close the door behind them, Tweek awkwardly rises from his chair and joins Craig at the opposite wall.  


Tweek tries to start it off respectively. ("Hey. Uh, how have you been--")  


But the blue boy skips the small talk and gets straight to the point, almost as if he had been playing this scene out in his head multiple times. "--What are you doing with her?"  


"Who?" (He should have already known who 'her' was, but Craig's approach was so sudden and uncomfortably direct.)  


**[...Tweek waits and waits until he can see Wendy's waving shadow from around the corner...]**  


(That bastard.)

**["...Tweek! Jimmy and Leslie are missing! No one can find the PC either...!"]**  


"Have you been spying on me?" Tweek then says, the anger that was dimmed out that morning now starting to simmer. "Is it just you or have you been sending your boys to do it for you?"

"What did you tell Kyle, exactly?"  


**["...I-I love Craig. I still love him..."]**  


"You still don't trust me, do you?"  


"You're not answering the question."  


"I just told him about the Ads. I told him about how they have been here a long time and are now roaming around as people. All the stuff you know."  


"Really?" Craig is still not convinced. His arms are crossed and he is distant, just like before. "Why was his hand on your shoulder? What were you telling him then, huh?"  


(What? Really?) This sends Tweek into a yelling fit, finally breaking through that 'too tired to be angry' delirium. "I CAN'T JUST TALK TO MY FUCKING FRIENDS?"  


"I'M INVOLVED IN THIS SHIT TOO," Craig then says, now his turn to bellow. "Why talk to Wendy and why talk to Kyle, but not to me about this stuff?"  


They were getting closer and closer to each other without even realizing, about to butt heads. "And what the hell have YOU been getting yourself into? Why are you sneaking around with those Train and Luke boys when you told me they were not your friends anymore. What are you telling THEM, huh?"  


"Fuck you, Tweek!" He swats out a threatening finger. "You don't understand anything!"  


"Fuck ME?" It suddenly got to the point where they were so enraged that they started bellowing about things that weren't even relevant. "Fuck YOU! Like I expect YOU to know a goddamn thing about fucking life. You've always had friends. You've always been popular. I don't expect you to get my loneliness. I don't expect you to know what goes through my head."   


"Then why won't you talk to me? Why won't you tell me anything?" Craig's voice has gone down and he has stepped back, out of Tweek's space. He stands with his arms limp down his sides. He stands sad and blue. "Everyone is acting weird. Everyone is being distant with each other. We all used to be a team. Now it seems like we are all dividing." (Tweek's anger dies down too. He goes quiet and stands just as sadly as his opponent.) "Which side are you on, Tweek?"  


Tweek looks up at Craig and his voice quivers at his response, as if he were making a helpless vow. "Whatever side you're on. I choose you. Always."  


"That's another thing. You say you choose me. You say you love me, but you won't respond. Ever since those meetings with Wendy, you haven't talked to me that much. I kissed you, but you hardly kissed me back. You wouldn't even let me hold your hand anymore."  


(That bastard! It was HIM that stopped holding his hand.) Tweek looks down to feet again, defeated. He doesn't know what to do now. He has tried the best that he could to keep everything from going out of control. He didn't know if he wanted to say something else or punch Craig for being so stupid. But he does not want to do that. He doesn't want to hurt Craig anymore than he already has.

He can feel his body start to tremble again. He brings his trembling hands up to his face. "Goddamnit, Craig." His voice is quivering, like before. And he can feel the sting of tears. "What do you want me to do? No matter what I do, you won't believe me. No matter what I do, it's not enough."

**[...The distant memory of two young boys dressed as warriors and laughing as they play out a sword fight with sticks come to mind...]**

"I've told you the truth and you still don't believe me."

**[...The blue boy suddenly joins him from across the street. Tweek is too surprised to say anything. Craig does not say anything either. Instead, Craig turns to his front and for a moment, Tweek thought he was going to continue walking down the sidewalk. But then, Craig extends his hand out to his side. The message is clear and does not need to be explained, but Tweek is still puzzled. Did he not reject him not too long ago? What suddenly changed his mind?**

**He slid his hand into Craig's and felt complete joy...]**

"What do you want me to do, Craig?"

**[...The most enduring part of the embrace was not Craig's strong arms, not his scent--but his nose and lips dipping into his shoulder. Tweek could have sighed and fainted...]**

Tweek sniffs and rubs his eyes, small tears rolling off the corners.

**[...Craig hugs him back, kissing into his blonde hair to calm him down...]**

He can barely hear the blue boy's hurtful response. "Tweek." Beyond his closed, stinging eyes, he can feel Craig moving closer to him. He can feel the heat of his body filling up the space before him. He can feel his warm hands gently cupping his face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

He kisses Tweek's hair. It takes a moment for Tweek to realize those were his lips he was feeling. He was kissed most gingerly, as if the kisser were afraid to make him shatter with a kiss too hard and sudden. 

Tweek lifts his head up, opens eyes his eyes and kisses his cheek in response. Then Craig leans in and kisses his lips, making the trembling stop.    


  


  



	12. Playing Hookie

Craig wraps his arms around Tweek, pulling his front to his. (--Hmph!--) Tweek can feel their noses crunch up awkwardly as their lips clash. He can feel their teeth hit--(--Ah!--)--but neither of the boys seem to care. The blonde tilts his head, making room for Craig's tongue, kissing him with more passionate and making him sigh. And just like that, the separate body of Sadness was gone and his burdens were lifted. Their fight was lost in a sort of dream-like confusion. They kiss and clutch and hold each other desperately until they can't breathe--breaking apart with a deep exhale--

The office door is heard opening with a 'clack' and a creak. "--Hey, Tweek, Craig--" Stan stops himself. All four boys stop in their tracks and stare back at each other, a red blush slowly growing onto their faces. "Oh." Then none of them can look at each other directly. "Um--the-they told us to head back to class."

(What? We can just go back to class? No meeting with the PC?--Or rather, Mr. Mackey? No punishment?) Craig takes the words out of his mouth: "Okay."

Kyle struggles to lift a pointing finger. "But--but I thought--"

"--Go away."

Stan and Kyle leave in an instant, not even a 'Kay' or 'Right'. It makes Tweek chuckle nervously. (Hehe.) "Well," he says, stepping out of Craig's embrace. "We should get going."

"No, we don't."

(Hm?) "Well, we can't just hang out here all day, Craig."

"Yeah, we can."

"Craig. No."

"Okay, let's ditch school." (How could he just suggest that out of nowhere?)

Tweek's eyebrows rise. "What--NOW?"

"Yeah."

"Well--where would we go?"

"Anywhere you want to go."

Tweek was nearly flustered with such an idea being suddenly thrown at him, dependent on him for the answers. He had never just ditched school before. "Not now. All my stuff is in class. One more class, then meet up outside?"

"Cool." (Just fucking 'cool'? Not but a few seconds ago, he was throwing one accusation after the other, blind from jealousy or suspicion or god knows what. Craig's mood swings were, as Butters put it, like 'an emo girl on her period' at times. It was a bit worrying. Not that Tweek was the most normal kid either, but still.)

"Huh. Alright." Tweek walks up to and out the door. Craig follows closely behind. "I'll walk you to class," the blue boy then insists. (He was now starting to sound like fucking Mr. Reality, when Tweek couldn't tell if he was suggesting or commanding.)

Tweek smiles shyly. "That's sweet, but your class is on the other side of school."

"I'm in no hurry. We're already late, anyways."

Tweek then scoffs. (--Pfft--) There was no winning it. He extends his hand and Craig takes it. Tweek is escorted to his next class with lots of giggles and snickering in between. (--What's so funny?--We WERE fighting not too long ago, weren't we?--) They stop at his first class first to retrieve his things, then to the class of the current hour. Once there, Tweek leans in for a kiss. (--I love you. See you soon--) 

 

(TBC)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was on hold for a very long time, I know :) And I'm glad a lot of people enjoyed reading it. I do plan to add more, but I'd have to end the PART TWO right here, and start on a new story. Have a good one!


End file.
